When I sit down to write my favorite column of the year, I try not to think of the most serious awards I could give or the biggest events of the year. I try to find the fun of the hobby and when possible the heart as well. Sure I could type about Michael Jordan rookies coming back to earth. I could ramble on about the sale of Topps. I could go on about the … [Read more...] about 2022 Mikey Awards: Big Sellers, Best Promotions, Boo Boo Fixes, Worst Auto, Top Shop, More
Mikey Awards
2021 Mikey Awards: The Hobby’s Best, Worst, Strangest
I've been writing my favorite piece of the year for the past two nights/mornings and it has made me reflect on perhaps the most interesting year I've ever had in my 29 years of owning my shop, Mike's Stadium Sportscards. It was perhaps the best of times and now it's time to hope that it doesn't quickly turn into the worst of times. I can't really control the entire … [Read more...] about 2021 Mikey Awards: The Hobby’s Best, Worst, Strangest
2020 Mikey Awards: Sports Card Hobby Rolls with the Punches
Before I get to some of the follies the sports card and collectible industry enjoyed in 2020, I want to share my hopes that you, your families and your friends all did as well as possible in all ways in the past year. It is rare to find someone who wasn't directly affected either by COVID-19 or by the many implications from it. Sadly a few times this year, I heard … [Read more...] about 2020 Mikey Awards: Sports Card Hobby Rolls with the Punches
2019 Mikey Awards: Hot Stuff, Cool Stuff, Weird Stuff, Good Stuff
Hello fellow card maniacs, We survived another year in the hobby and man was it one to remember. We experienced Acunamania, Lukamania, Lamarmania and sadly the absence of any real hockeymania, but the NHL season isn't over yet fortunately. We also experienced Zionmania, but perhaps he should play a regular season game before we start voting him into the … [Read more...] about 2019 Mikey Awards: Hot Stuff, Cool Stuff, Weird Stuff, Good Stuff
Box Bonanza: Prizm Basketball Heads the Hot List
Hello, fellow card maniacs! Welcome to the December installment of What's Hot In The Shop, at least one particular shop in Colorado. Mine to be specific :) Looking back at November, we enjoyed a trifecta of manufacturer support programs like Upper Deck Singles Day, the Topps Holiday Pack giveaway and Panini's Black Friday. Most recently, shops enjoyed National Hobby Shop … [Read more...] about Box Bonanza: Prizm Basketball Heads the Hot List
2018 Mikey Awards: Highs, Lows and Oh No’s
Hello Card Peeps, I'm back once again with the annual Mikey Awards. I hope you enjoy and get a chuckle from my highlights and occasional lowlights from the trading card industry in 2018. These are intended to mostly make you laugh or think and if you are a manufacturer who does not have a great sense of humor, please consider stopping at this point. … [Read more...] about 2018 Mikey Awards: Highs, Lows and Oh No’s
2017 Mikey Awards
I’m finally sitting down to write my favorite piece of the year, the Mikey Awards. It’s my chance to offer up my own personal sentiments over what I thought worked, failed epically, made this season a winner, worked in spite of things, got hobby egg on its face and basically helped hobby shops in 2017. Looking back, this is going to be remembered as one of the … [Read more...] about 2017 Mikey Awards
What’s Hot: Free Packs, Pricey Packs, Q and More
Hello fellow card maniacs. It’s been a month since we discussed matters of the hot. I mean, I did talk about some cool programs that hobby shops have been able to offer already like the free Topps Holiday packs, Upper Deck Winter packs as well as the Panini Black Friday packs. Still to come on 12/9 is National Hobby Shop Day and since I committed … [Read more...] about What’s Hot: Free Packs, Pricey Packs, Q and More
What’s Hot: Presenting The 2016 Mikey Awards
This is normally where we read about the hottest selling sports card products but the calendar tells us it's time to take stock of the year that was. The Mikey Awards is my annual non-scientific, incredibly personal and sometimes self-serving take on the last 12 months. If you're scoring along, this is the 4th annual edition. It’s the good, the bad and the … [Read more...] about What’s Hot: Presenting The 2016 Mikey Awards
What’s Hot in the Shop: Trilogy, Contenders and More
This installment was a little harder to choose the hottest new release than usual. I mean typically there is one product that is kicking a little more backside than the others so I will break the tie the only way I can: with the one made the collectors in my shop happier. We've got a strong runner-up but the biggest smiles have come from 2015-16 Upper Deck Trilogy … [Read more...] about What’s Hot in the Shop: Trilogy, Contenders and More